1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a method and an apparatus according to the preamble of claims 1 and 13 for loading an adapter for a printed circuit board testing device.
2. Description of the Related Art
From practical operation a method and an apparatus of this kind are known which f or each arrangement of the adapter pins uses an individual main magazine and an associated intermediate magazine and a common so-called locking packet. The selection plate is fastened to the intermediate magazine. The diameter of the holes in the main magazine, in the intermediate magazine including the selection plate and in the locking packet is smaller than the diameter of the heads and at least equal to that of the shafts of the adapter pins. The adapter pins thus hang by their heads in the main magazine, in the intermediate magazine and in the locking packet.
The procedure for transferring a first arrangement of adapter pins from a first main magazine into the adapter is as follows:
1. Transporting the main magazine filled with the adapter pins underneath the open locking packet,
2. lifting and thereby transferring the adapter pins into the locking packet by lifting them by means of a hole-free plate moved from below towards the main magazine,
3. closing the locking packet to hold the transferred adapter pins,
4. removing the main magazine that has been completely emptied,
5. transporting the empty intermediate magazine with the selection plate facing upwards beneath the closed locking packet,
6. opening the locking packet so that the adapter pins to be loaded into the adapter fall with their contact ends first through the selection plate into the intermediate magazine,
7. closing the locking packet to hold the remaining adapter pins,
8. removing the loaded intermediate magazine,
9. transporting the empty main magazine beneath the closed, partly filled locking packet,
10. opening the locking packet so that the remaining adapter pins therein fall back into the main magazine with their contact ends first,
11. removing the partly emptied main magazine,
12. transporting the loaded intermediate magazine beneath the open empty locking packet,
13. lifting the adapter pins and transferring them into the locking packet in the same way as described in step 2,
14. closing the locking packet to hold the transferred adapter pins,
15. removing the empty intermediate magazine,
16. transporting the empty adapter beneath the closed partly filled locking packet,
17. opening the locking packet so that the adapter pins therein fall into the adapter with their contact ends first,
18. removing the filled adapter.
These 18 steps are repeated using a second intermediate magazine if the adapter is additionally to be loaded by a second arrangement of adapter pins from a second main magazine.
It is an object of the invention to further develop the method and apparatus of the kind mentioned in the introduction so that the adapter can be loaded more simply and quickly and with less constructional outlay.
This object is achieved according to the invention by the characterizing features of claims 1 and 13. In this way it is possible to reduce the number of process steps from 18 or 36 to 6 or 12 steps and to use only one intermediate magazine even when loading the adapter with adapter pins in various arrangements and to dispense with the locking packet completely.
The transfer of a single arrangement of adapter pins is advantageously done by means of the following steps:
1. The empty intermediate magazine is placed on the full main magazine by relative movement in which the closing plate is arranged on the upper side of the intermediate magazine opposite the main magazine and the selection plate is arranged between the main magazine and the intermediate magazine,
2. the intermediate magazine and the main magazine are tilted together through about 180, so that the adapter pins to be loaded into the adapter fall through the selection plate with their contact heads first into the intermediate magazine,
3. the partly emptied main magazine is removed,
4. the empty adapter is placed with its side holding the heads of the adapter pins when in the loaded state by relative movement on to the side of the loaded intermediate magazine facing away from the closing plate,
5. the adapter and the intermediate magazine are tilted together through about 1801 so that the adapter pins fall into the adapter with their contact ends first,
6. the loaded adapter is removed.
If the adapter is to be loaded additionally with a second arrangement of adapter pins it is then advantageously tilted through about 90.degree. so that it is on edge. The following steps can then ensue:
7. Repetition of the aforementioned step 1, but with a second main magazine that is loaded with the adapter pins of the second arrangement,
8. repetition of the aforementioned step 2, but with the second main magazine,
9. repetition of the aforementioned step 3, but with the second main magazine,
10. the intermediate magazine loaded with the adapter pins from the second main magazine is tilted through about 90.degree. so that it is on edge and by relative movement is placed against the adapter, loaded with adapter pins from the first main magazine, that has already been tilted on edge--this prevents adapter pins from falling out of the intermediate magazine, which would be the case if it had been tilted through 180.degree. to place it on the adapter located in the horizontal position after step 6,
11. the intermediate magazine and the adapter are tilted together through 90.degree. so that the adapter pins fall into the adapter with their contact ends first and the intermediate magazine remains behind empty,
12. the completely loaded adapter is removed.
It is also possible, after transferring the adapter pins from the first main magazine into the intermediate magazine, to transfer further adapter pins that are to be loaded into the adapter from one or several further main magazines successively into the intermediate magazine with their heads first under gravity.
It is advantageous to tilt the intermediate magazine loaded with adapter pins from at least the first main magazine through about 90.degree. so that it is on edge and, after placing it against a further main magazine likewise on edge to tilt them back together through about 90.degree. so that the adapter pins are transferred under gravity from the further main magazine into the intermediate magazine. After removing this main magazine the aforementioned steps 4 to 6 or 10 to 12 are advantageously carried out, steps 10 to 12 being carried out analogously with an empty adapter and with the intermediate magazine loaded with adapter pins from the first and the further main magazine. Obviously the aforementioned procedure for transferring the adapter pins from the main magazine to the intermediate magazine and to the adapter, in each case by tilting them twice through 90.degree., can also be used to load a still empty intermediate magazine and still empty adapter with adapter pins from the first main magazine by modifying steps 1 to 6.
According to a modification of the method the adapter pins that have been transferred from at least one main magazine into the intermediate magazine can be held securely by closing a clamping device adjacent to the closing plate, whereupon the intermediate magazine with the securely held adapter pins is tilted through about 180.degree. and placed on the adapter so that after the clamping device is opened the adapter pins are transferred under gravity into the adapter with their contact ends first. In this way the intermediate magazine can be tilted together with the adapter through 180.degree. instead of twice through 90.degree..
To obtain the same advantage when transferring adapter pins of a further arrangement into the intermediate magazine, after closing the clamping device and tilting through about 180.degree. the loaded intermediate magazine is preferably placed on a further main magazine and tilted again with it through about 180.degree. so that after releasing the clamping device again the adapter pins are transferred under gravity from the further main magazine into the intermediate magazine with their heads first.
After this the adapter is advantageously placed with its side holding the heads of the adapter pins when in the loaded state on the side of the loaded intermediate magazine facing away from the closing plate and after closing the clamping device is tilted together with the intermediate magazine through about 180.degree. so that after releasing the clamping device the adapter pins are transferred to the adapter with their contact ends first.
The main magazine preferably comprises at least two perforated plates arranged parallel to and spaced from one another having holes arranged coaxially at the aforementioned grid points, their diameters being smaller than the diameters of the heads and at least equal to the diameters of the shaft section of the adapter pins to be accommodated.
Similarly the intermediate magazine can likewise comprise at least two perforated plates arranged parallel to and spaced from one another having holes arranged coaxially at the aforementioned grid points with a diameter that is at least equal to the diameter of the heads of the adapter pins.
The clamping device preferably comprises a clamping plate that is arranged between the two perforated plates and that can be moved in its plane from an open position to a closed position, having holes arranged at the aforementioned grid points whose diameters are at least equal to the diameter of the heads of the adapter pins such that when the clamping plate is in its open position it holes are arranged centrally with the holes of the perforated plates and eccentrically thereto when it is in its closed position. The clamping device can be urged by a spring into its closed position.
The method according to the invention can be carried out both manually and mechanically. For this purpose a transporting arrangement is advantageous with which the main magazine, the intermediate magazine and the adapter can be transported relative to one another into positions in which the adapter pins can be transferred under gravity from the main magazine to the intermediate magazine and thence into the adapter. Advantageous embodiments of the transporting arrangement are set forth in claims 19 to 29.